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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — part of the head
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pit — in a race
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. drill — a practice
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pit — a hole
  19. net — in sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com